A Pirate's Life For Me
by GlitchingFlame
Summary: I have lived all my life in Tortuga, abandoned by my parents-in fact, never got to know them, even. I found hospitality in a tavern, from a worker called Harriet. Though she was young, she was older than me and cared for me like an older sister. I can't imagine where I would be if it wasn't for her to find me on that fateful day.


_It was a stormy night. Harriet had finally finished her work in the tavern for the day and was retiring to her home. She briskly walked through the deserted streets, hoping to receive the shelter and warmth of her home as soon as possible._

 _But as she neared an alleyway, pitiful cries of a baby drew her away from her initial path._

 _The alley was dark and the rain made it depressing, but the presence of the child alone cheered her up._

 _Harriet saw herself in the child's hazel eyes. She too, had been abandoned at an early age. She was left on her own when she was only eight, struggling in the community of barbarian-like people. No… the child will not receive the same fate. She will make sure of it. She gently picked up the swaddled baby who looked at her in wonder._

 _Something caught her eye. Nestled snugly in the blankets was a pendant of some sort. Harriet carefully pulled it out, trying not to arouse the child._

 _It was a piece of clay with a picture of a sparrow flying over the ocean with the sun setting in the background, and with the name carved on the back: Sylvia Sparrow._

 _The child belonged to Jack Sparrow._

 _Though Harriet now knew, she chose to not let the child know. She thought that it might corrupt her-it might make her want to follow her father's footsteps._

 _So she gave Sylvia her own surname, Smith, and later told her that the pendant didn't belong to her, but it was where the former got the name for the latter._

 _Sylvia Smith. No one will ever find out._

I was in Tortuga the day I decided to board a ship. But it was not the destination-It was the journey… that drew me to sea.

I have lived all my life in Tortuga, abandoned by my parents-in fact, never got to know them, even. I found hospitality in a tavern, from a worker called Harriet. Though she was young, she was older than me and cared for me like an older sister. I can't imagine where I would be if it wasn't for her to find me on that fateful day.

I often make her tell me the story of how she found me, hoping to learn something- _anything-_ about my parents.

My ears perked up as a few pirates entered the tavern and yelled, "Crew members needed!" One of the pirates sat down on an empty table with a piece of parchment and quill. "Crew members needed for Capt'n Jack Sparrow!"

This was my chance. My dream to not only sail, but board the legendary ship, the _Black Pearl_.

I grabbed the nearest hat, arranged my hair so that I looked less feminine, tossed on a coat to block my chests, and rubbed a bit of dirt on my face. For good measures, I even took a sip of rum to help my breath. Then, feeling satisfied, I [tried to] saunter up to the pirate who was registering.

"What be yer name?"

"Jacob," I quickly answered, "Jacob Smith." My actual name is Sylvia, but I know better than to pretend to be a boy with a girl name.

He grunted in response then asked for my background.

I was [kind of] prepared to answer.

"I was abandoned at birth and has been living here since then. Want to be at sea, and I am a loyal, hard-working person."

The pirate smiled and said, name's Gibbs. Sign here." He continued, pointing at a sheet of paper. "You're hired!"

I sighed, smiling with relief.

The following day, I promptly packed anything of value, which included small keepsakes like a notebook that I wrote and sketched in, a few pencils, an old compass, and a few extra clothes, just in case.

Before exiting my room, I tied a bandanna around my head, arranging my hair so that at least my brown locks didn't look like it belonged to a girl's. I fingered the clay charm that I wore as a necklace. It was the only thing that my parents left me with, a piece of clay that had a picture of a sparrow flying over the ocean with the sun setting in the background. It was the one of the only treasures I had, and I hoped that it somehow bore a clue regarding my parents.

The other thing that I called was the leather bound sketchbook. I found it by the shore while salvaging wreckages. A few pages were filled, but due to the waters, it was unreadable. The words were smeared. And even if it wasn't, the handwriting was messy enough. It had the initials J.S. carved onto its cover-the origin for my fake name, Jacob Smith.

I breathed in the air that had the salty tang of the ocean. Seagulls called in the distance and the waves crashed against the docks, causing it to slightly rock.

The docks itself were busy with people of all kinds-pirates, sailors, merchants, and even a few beggars.

As you walked down the busy street, the _Black Pearl_ came into sight. The shop was magnificent. The mast stood tall and proud and the hull smoothly curved in a graceful way.

Yes, I've heard of tales and stories, but seeing the real thing with my own eyes alone was a dream come true.

"Beautiful, ain't she?"

I whipped around, face to face with none other than-

"Captain Jack Sparrow." I whispered in awe.

He squinted and leaned forward. "You look familiar, lad." He paused, studying me as I stiffly stood there. _Can he see through my disguise?_

"Have I threatened you before?"

I quickly shook my head. "No sir. Don't believe that we have met. Though everyone clearly recognize you, Capt'n."

Jack smirked. "I like you lad. What be yer name?"

"Jacob Smith."

"You part of t' crew? I'd be disappointed if you ain't."

I smiled and relaxed a bit. "Aye sir, signed up yesterday."

Someone then called for Jack, leaving me to marvel at the ship. The captain turned around and added, "Looks better when you're on her mate!"

I boarded the Pearl, running a hand along the wheel. Looking closer, I noticed that the paint was chipped and the color as fading. I made note to find resources to reprint it later-exploration comes first.

I started with the decks, then the sailor's quarters, then found myself in the cellars. To my surprise, I found a few buckets of paint and lacquer/wood finish, along with some sandpaper. Relocating them to a safer corner, I exited the damp place and squinted as the sum pierced my eyes.

"Time for jobs and positions!"

I scrambled to the decks and stood with the other pirates. There were men of all kind and they all looked rough and fierce. I felt quite out of place as I stood among them, afterall, I was not only a girl, my disguise was a scrawny boy that had no prior experience in sailing.

Very soon, we had a cook, a doctor (who, thankfully, does not look drunk) and plenty of men for working on the decks doing various jobs.

"Smith," Gibbs called. "Yer new to sailin', aye?"

I nodded, but replied, "I'm a fast learner sir. And I'd love to learn how a ship operates and help in any way."

The other pirates snickered, but Gibbs gave me a warm smile.

"I like yer attitude, boy." Jack broke in. "How about this, Master Gibbs can start by teaching you the basics, then after you understand how this beauty works, we'll talk about an actual position. Savvy?"

I nodded, eager to learn. "Aye, aye, Capt'n!"

"That's the spirit, mate!"

I've been on the Black Pearl for three days now, and I've learned all that I could from Gibbs. After teaching me the basics, I pestered him to teach me more, and didn't stop until he reluctantly gave in.

"I ain't no teacher, lad," he keeps on insisting.

"I doesn't take one to be a _good_ one, Master Gibbs," I answered honestly.

He smiled. "Just call me Gibbs, son."

It was my turn to smile. No one has found out my true I yet, and I was currently on every crewmembers' good side. I felt satisfied, until I remembered the condition the condition the shop was on. I quickly told Gibbs my plan and he grinned.

"Ya want me to distract the capt'n while yer workin'?"

I nodded eagerly. "Thanks Gibbs!" Then dashed off to the hold for the supplies.

While I was sanding, Gibbs was distracting Jack. He claimed to be discussing plans with the captain, but it sounds more like a drinking party to me. The laughs and the sounds of bottles hitting a table was a straight giveaway.

After most of the ship was sanded down, (not that detailed though, just _roughly_ ) I started to repaint. We weren't in any hurry and the anchor was down, so I started with the wheel, then finished with the bow.

The other crewmembers noticed and started helping. Everyone were looking forward to seeing the Captain's reaction to the renovation of the Black Pearl.

Within a short amount of time, the waterproof finish was added, and the only thing left was to wait for it to dry. I took this opportunity to go to the sailor's quarters and improve living conditions. The place was not only damp and musty, it was filthy, and there were even some mold in the shadowy corners. It disgusted me so I took it upon myself to clean it out.

I started with the hammocks. It reeked with odor and looks as if they've never _ever_ been washed. Unattaching the pieces of cloths,I laid them out in the sun to rid of the smell. I then mopped the entire room and used a random piece of wood to scrape off the mold and grime. Pretty soon, the hammocks were re-sown and hung, and the living conditions was clearly better than before.

I signaled to Gibbs through the windows and watched as he stood up and led the captain out.

Jack immediately walked towards the wheel on instinct and told everyone to start working and weigh anchor.

He then noticed (I presume) how smooth the wheel Handel's were. Jack spun the wheel, looking for the usual chipped surface. Then his eyes widened as he scanned the ship.

"Did I get murdered by Blackbeard in me sleep? Who did this? Is this really my Pearl?"

Gibbs had a proud look on his face. "Aye, this be t' Pearl alright. Thanks to this lad 'ere, it be as good as new, Capt'n!"

"It pained me to see such a beautiful ship chipped and filled with grime, savvy?"

Jack smirked.

"I think it be time t' lad got a job, Capt'n," Gibbs said, his smile ever wider.

"Aye," the captain answered. "I name you Second Mate of the Black Pearl. You will overlook the conditions of my beauty. I'm sure you'll do a good job, son."

I was practically bouncing with excitement, but nevertheless, I tried to answer calmly, with no doubt, a huge grin on my face.

"Muchas gracias, Capt'n!"

We sailed until the sun went down, then the anchor was weighed. The tired crewmembers retired to their hammocks, giving me a thankful smile as they climbed on. Though I worked hard today, I couldn't quite bring myself to sleep, so I crept back to the decks.

The night sky twinkled with jewel-like stars, and the full moon caused the gentle waves to shimmer with soft light.

I leaned against the railings of the ship and stared off absentmindedly into the ocean.

I was filled with unease. Jack knew something about me that I didn't know, since his expressions flickered when I replied in Spanish. But what was more alarming was the fact that he somehow recognized me before I even boarded the Pearl.

Gibbs was on the Captain's quarters talking to Jack, and curiosity go the best of me, so I incurred closer and perked my ears.

"When I left Angelica on that island fourteen years ago, she claimed that she was bearing a child. _Our_ child. I didn't believe that lass back then, but d'you reckon they she was telling the truth?"

There was a pause, and this time, the speaker was Gibbs.

"It's possible." The pirate said thoughtfully, then sucked in a sharp breath. "You reckon that Smith might have something to do with Angelica?"

I inched closer, wanting to hear more. _Maybe they know something about my parents!_

"I think he has _everything_ to do with Angelica."

"But do you really think that Jacob," Gibbs paused, lowering his voice, "is _really_ a _boy_?"

Silence hung on the air. I shifted my legs uncomfortably. Unwilling to be found, I snuck back to my hammock, pondering about this Angelica.

 _What does Jack know about her? What do_ I _have to do with her?_

 _She_ can't _be my mother… can she?_

 _And Jack mentioned '_ our _child'... Does that mean…_

 _No… it_ can't _be…_

I was patching the foremast since the holes were starting to affect our speed. I've been doing minor edits to the Pearl, but today, the masts were getting on my nerves.

I understand that I was probably one of the youngest to ever become a second mate, much less Jack Sparrow's Second Mate, but I plan to doing a good job and make this decision unregrettable.

"JACOB!" Gibbs suddenly yelled out of the blue.

I was caught off guard, causing me to lose balance on the wooden beams. My bandana caught on some nails, setting my brown locks free. I grappled for something to hold onto, but landed straight in the waters. _Thank Goodness I didn't fall on the decks. From that height, I probably could've broken my back._

Without hesitating, I swam towards the Pearl, spitting out the salty water as I climbed back in.

I emerged to the astonished faces of my crewmates.

"Well, well, well. Look what we've got 'ere," The captain sang as he strolled closer. "Gibbs! Yer right!"

At this point, I was genuinely bemused. "What?"

I finally realized what was keeping everyone on edge, as Jack took a lock of my hair and inspected it.

I froze up, my eyes straying, not wanting to meet anyone's gaze.

"I believe that it is _Miss_ … "

In a voice barely audible, I whispered, "Sylvia."

Right now, the best thing would be acting calm and definitely _not_ bothered by my hair.

Squeezing the water out of my hair, I grabbed a piece of cloth and re-tied it. This time, I didn't bother to hide it-my brown locks only reached slightly past my shoulders anyway, and lots of pirates have long hair.

Trying to ignore my pounding heart, multiple crewmembers suddenly swarmed around me, all their expressions bore a look of worry.

"Are ya alright, mate?"

"You need anythin', lad?"

I thanked them and replied that I was fine.

"What were ya calling me for, Master Gibbs?"

I then raised my chin, challenging Gibbs and Jack's look that said all too well that they saw, and now knew.

But thankfully they didn't say anything, thus keeping my secret.

I decided to just lay low and let the entire thing blow over, and my plan was evidently working so far. The other sailors were clueless as ever, but there was slight tension between the captain and I. On the other hand, Gibbs looks like he intends to keep my secret for as long as he can, which I am grateful for.

For these few days, not much happened, but I felt that this was going to be the calm before the storm.

And what I am afraid of… is _how_ fierce the storm would be…

"Smith!"

I shot out of my hammock, falling hard on the wooden floor. I winced at the impact it had brought upon my shoulder, and the fact that my entire body ached from overworking wasn't helping in the least bit.

"Who be callin' me at this time o' th' night?!" I half shouted as I groggily wandered up to the main decks.

Someone tapped me on the shoulders from behind. "It be Gibbs, lad." He then sighed. "Ye must be really sleepy to not even notice me when I woke ye up."

I gave a massive yawn, then muttered, "What for, Gibbs, I was havin' a great dream! There were flyin' horses and sea turtles." My words were slurred, but I was too tired to care. I had worked my butt off during the day and yearned for a good night's sleep, but Gibbs was ruining it.

"I'm afraid that it's the captain."

"Wha capt'n… " I whispered, half asleep.

"Jack Sparrow of course!" He said, shaking my shoulders.

I snapped to attention. _What? Jack Sparrow? What does he want with me? It's the middle of the freakin' night!_

Gibbs steered me to the captain's quarters as I struggled to squirm out of his grasps. "It be alright, son, I'll be right 'ere waitin' fer ya."

I finally lost the battle and hesitantly entered the room.

The small room was cluttered and empty bottles of rum littered the floor. The captain sat by his desk, gesturing that I sit on his bed, which was the only clean part of his room. But nonetheless, I was surprised that he even bothered to fold the sheets since the rest of the room was a complete mess.

I stiffly took a seat, avoiding his gaze.

We sat in silence for a while, neither of us wanting to stay the topic that both were pondering.

Finally, it was I who broke the silence.

"I think we both know why I'm here, so would you please get on with it because I'm dead tired."

I braced myself for the incoming question. Though I was expecting it for a long time now, it still came like a blow.

"You be a girl, are you not?"

I slowly nodded, using my hair as a veil.

"Why, may I ask, do you wish to be on the Pearl?."

My gaze dropped down to my hands.

"I-I wanted to board the Pearl because… because I didn't want to stay in Tortuga. I worked with Harriet, my guardian, at a tavern.

My parents parents abandoned me at birth and left me with a clay necklace that bore the origin of my name. I wanted to find them, but at the same time, wanted an adventure.

Then I heard that the Black Pearl was sailing for Tortuga and needed a crew, so I seized the chance and signed up. But I was afraid that I wouldn't be accepted, so I pretended to be a boy."

The silence that followed was so thick that a knife could cut it.

I sat there, heart pounding in my ears. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. I finally collected myself, and peeked up, finally meeting his gaze for the first time.

It was a mixture of sorrow and regret, thought for what, I wasn't completely sure.

Jack rubbed his temples and dropped his own gaze.

"I don't know what to do with you right now. I must say that I'm sorry for your past, but I can't change anything.

You deceived to get on me ship, which I don't fancy." He hesitated, but then said firmly, "Gibbs, take _her_ to the Berg."

Gibbs gave me an apologetic look, then gently steered me downstairs. I was to numb to register him locking me in and patting me through the bars. Jack Sparrow was the first person I ever told my story to, and _this_ was how he reacted.

But then at this point, I was to tired to care. I buried my head in my arms and sleep slowly consumed me.

I woke up to the soft sunlight filtering through the wooden planks. It took me a while to register where I was, since I was practically drunk the night before.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and scanned my surroundings. I was in a small cell that was musty and damp. There were even barnacles and other things from the sea that I couldn't quite identify.

Pintel and Ragetti appeared around the corner.

"Jacob! What ye be doin' down 'ere?"

I looked at the two sadly. "Th' Capt'n found out that I am actually a girl. Name's Sylvia."

Pintel looked appalled, and Ragetti's eyeball popped out. I stifled a giggle as he attempted to shove it back in.

"Blimey…"

An idea suddenly popped into my head. "Pintel, Ragetti, I have an important mission fer ya two. Can you please find out where we be heading'?"

They eagerly nodded and dashed off, clearly flattered that I let them do something 'important.' I smiled to myself-even if I escaped the Berg, I was still going to be on the ship. But if I find out where we're headed, I could escape when we reach land.

Within a few minutes, the two stumbled back, looking quite pleased with themselves.

"Miss, the captain said that we be headin' fer Magdalena!"

"Aye, he be after th' cursed jars o' Tayrona!"

"The cursed jars of Tayrona?" I asked. "Why after somethin' that be cursed?"

Gibbs came down to the Berg and replied before Pintel or Ragetti did.

"Legends say that hidden deep within the ruins of the lost city of Tayrona, thar be an altar with nine brass/clay/copper jars. And amongst them jars, thar be one that possess the power to grant you with all the gold ye could even desire. But-"

"Of course there's a catch!" I sighed, rolling my eyes impatiently. "Get on with it."

"But, th' thing is, thar be a riddle that all who approach it must solve. If you fail to interpret it correctly and leave with th' wrong jar, you'll be cursed… forever."

I sat up, interested to hear more. "What's the riddle?" Then I took out my notebook and quickly jotted down what Gibbs was saying:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind.

On this sacred altar you will surely find,

Two among our numbers hold only nettle wine,

While some of us are killers, waiting in a line.

Should you fail to solve this riddle right,

This will be the last you see light.

 _This will be the last you see light?_ I thought. _That probably means that you'll die...but… something is missing…_

But I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard Jack shout—

"LAND HO!"

Pintel and Ragetti immediately flew up the stairs to see. People were shouting with excitement and the ship slowed to a stop—the anchor was weighed.

Orders were given and men were put to work.

This was my chance.

"Gibbs, could you please open this bugger up? I don't know what Jack wants to do with me, and I don't plan on finding out."

Gibbs hung his head and sighed. He clearly looked torn between his captain's orders and my well being.

Then footsteps echoed through the room, and Jack Sparrow appeared.

His face was devoid of emotion and his body language gave nothing away. Even his voice was bland as he said, "I give you one chance. Find the cursed jar of Tayrona, and we'll pretend that nothing happened. Savvy?"

I slowly nodded, not sure whether to trust him or not. _This is too good to be true_ … But then he took out the keys and the cell door that I had been trying to escape from lazily swung open.

I stood there, jaws gaping so far that you could fit a blob fish between them. "There _has_ to be a catch."

"Nope!"

The island grew larger as our rowboats drifted to shore.

The sand was soft and the gentle waves swirled around our legs as we trekked to the beach. A small breeze caused the leaves of various trees to ripple.

I surveyed the island. A forest lain beyond the small beach, but it becomes so thick that you can't see anything past five feet into it.

"How are we supposed to find the Lost City of Tayrona?"

Jack flipped opened a black compass and asked, "What is it do you want most?"

"How is that broken thing going to help? It doesn't even point North!"

"Ahhh… But you see, this 'broken thing' can lead you to th' thing you want most," Jack smirked and handed the compass to me. My eyes followed the needle as it spun around then landed on the Captain.

I laughed. "This thing doesn't work, unless you are the Lost City of Tayrona in disguise, which would quite amaze me since I've never heard of a city that was capable of steering a ship."

He then took the compass back and studied it. The needle suddenly swiveled crazily, then settled in a direction that pointed deep into the forest.

Trudging slowly through the dense foliage of the jungle, the ruins of Tayrona came into view. It was a mass of eroded rubble with vines twisting densely around the ruins. There was probably more green than the weathered grey of the temple itself.

Brushing some vines aside, I uncovered a pit that looked as if it had no bottom. I motioned for the others and started to tie a rope to something solid and heavy.

"Who's first," I said, not taking my eyes off of the hole. I squinted hard, trying to see through the darkness. The crew members crowded around me and peered in.

Jack, looking calm and practically fearless, grabbed my rope and slid down.

"Come on, ye scalawags! What ya waitin' fer?"

One by one, we joined the captain down in the dark pit. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out what lain in the shadows.

Then the light of a fire torch spilled into the room, banishing the shadows around us and casting a faint light into the former abyss.

"The Lost City Of Tayrona…"

It was a damp tunnel with unidentifiable bones scattered everywhere. I shuddered as the cold air swirled and choked us in it's tight grasp. Suddenly, I tripped and fell on a thin line that was barely visible.

Darts suddenly shot out of the vines on one side of the wall, hitting about half a dozen of men. I was spared, but others weren't as lucky. Basically the people in the front and the back were good, but the crew members sandwiched in the middle had nowhere to run. Within a few seconds, the ones who were shot dropped down and fainted.

Jack spun around, searching for the culprit-his eyes landed on me, who was still sprawled on the ground, tripwire barely visible as the firelight shone on it.

His fists clenched and a tic worked in his jaw. "I will not tolerate any clumsy ship member in me crew. I gave you a chance, and you just lost it."

Then he shouted for two men to bring me out and tie me to a tree. I was too confused at what had happened. One moment I was on Jack's good side, the next, pretty much, in Davy Jones locker.

 _Okay, maybe not_ that _bad, but still, now I pull never find out what he was saying the other day...or who Angelica is…_

I didn't restrain as Pintel and Ragetti tied me to a palm tree. I didn't cry as they tightened the ropes as the captain ordered. I didn't even reply when Ragetti said, "I'm sorry, miss...Capt'n's orders. I did fancy ya in th' crew, and I don't really blame ya for that…"

I felt millions of worlds away. It was as if I was spectating outside of my own body from a distance-I couldn't change anything.

I sighed and slumped against the tree, losing faith that I'd ever find my parents-losing hope that I'd ever have a loving family.

I sat under the shade of the tree, staring absentmindedly at the bushes before me. The riddle ran through my mind, taunting me with it's vagueness.

 _Two among our numbers hold only nettle wine, While some of us are killers, waiting in a line_.

Realization struck me like a bolt of lightning. Throughout the entire riddle, the rhyme failed to mention the actual jar of Tayrona itself.

 _And I highly doubt that the 'Almighty King of Tayrona' would leave his precious magical jar on that altar._ I reasoned, thoughts speeding through my head at the speed of bullets _. If he had any sense at all, he would hide it somewhere that bore an importance or well-protected!_

Previous wishes of finding my family vanished from my mind as excitement coursed through me. If I was able to lead the crew to the jar, I would be redeemed-not even Jack Sparrow could deny me.

Now, the only thing in my way was the ropes binding me.

As soon as I looked down, a laugh escaped me.

Pintel and Ragetti's ropework was terrible. It looks as if it was purposely done that way-loosely tied and messy-and to top it all off, there was a loop where one could just simply pull to untie the entire thing.

"Thanks," I said under my breath. Then without hesitation, I grabbed my bag and sprinted back to the Lost City of Tayrona, fueled by a newfound excitement for redemption.

After hastily stumbling through the thick undergrowth, I reached the entrance of the ruins once again. Taking a deep breath, I used the ropes that Pintel and Ragetti binded me with to slide down, back into the hole.

The crew members that fell prior still lain there-you couldn't tell whether they were dead or not. Not wanting to set the trap off again, I jumped over the string and tiptoed around the fallen, not wanting anything else to set off.

Along the dark tunnel, remains of other traps littered the floor. There were more darts, trap holes, and skeletons strewn everywhere, which sent a chill up my spine.

 _These better belong to the people that inhabited Tayrona… I don't want to know any detail about the bones…_

I then noticed that no new traps were going off. _Maybe they only go off once? Nah, that'd be ineffective once the first party's gone through… So it's probably timed…_

However, I was grateful that I didn't have to go through the traps with the crew. Wanting to test my theory, I boldly walked forward, dragging my feet on the ground, purposely trying to set something off.

Nothing happened. I patted the walls, and found a few bugs and dart holes, but nothing shot my eyeballs to tomorrow, so I hesitated no more, and sprinted deeper into the lost city of Tayrona.

My lungs felt like they were on fire and my legs were raw from receiving scratches and cuts from bones that practically lined the walls. I've been blindly stumbling through the tunnels as I've got no torch or the resources to make one, so my legs were dripping with blood, and my arms were stinging since the cold wind rushed past me as I ran and ran, trying to catch up with the crew.

Finally, the tunnel widened, leading into a large cavern. A wooden altar stood at the end of the cave, and whatever that was left of the crew circled the shrine.

Not being able to wait any longer, I dashed to Gibbs and frantically started saying everything that I found out.

"Gibbs-Gibbs! Has-anyone-taken-any-jars?-If-any-is-taken-that-would-be-bad-The-riddle-failed to mention the-jar-itself-so-the-jar-isn't-ther-"

"Well, well, well. What do we have here."

I stiffened as Jack Sparrow strutted up to me.

"What were ye sayin, Love? _The jar isn't 'ere_ ," He said, mimicking my voice. I cringed at his imitation, but Gibbs gently prodded me to continue.

Taking a breath, I said it again.

"Capt'n, the jar of Tayrona isn't here on the altar. Haven't you noticed? The riddle doesn't even mention the actual jar! And if you add the numbers up, it clearly shows it!"

He staring at me as if I've got seals parading out of my ears.

"Wot."

Gibbs sighed exasperatedly. "Jack, the jar be not 'ere."

"Oh. Ya could've said that earlier."

It took all my will to resist a face palm.

"Then where be this cursed jar?"

(Pronounced cur-sid, in this case, no pun intended)

"In the throne room."

A pirate, with an overgrown mass of curly hair and a wooden leg, with a monkey perched on his shoulders loomed over us. His large crew of sadistic-looking pirates spilled out of the god-forsaken tunnel and it's slow-resetting traps.

"'Ello, Jack Sparrow."

"Oh, hello, Hector," Jack Sparrow said awkwardly, rooted in place. He eyed Barbossa up and down, gritting his teeth. "Whot are you doin' 'ere?"

"Oh, but tha' be _my_ question. What are _you_ doin' 'ere, in front of me treasure?"

Barbossa's monkey, Jack, suddenly appeared on my shoulders. I jumped practically three feet into the air. "Eek! Monkey!"

"Now, who be this beautiful lass?"

I mustered up a piercing glare, which wasn't that hard, considering that I've been glaring at Jack more than usual. "Why should I tell you?"

I clenched my fists, extremely annoyed that this-this piece of… _arrogant cockroach_ just _had_ to ruin it for me.

Barbossa looked at me, then after a while, smirked. "Boys, tie Sparrow and his crew up. We be goin' to th' throne room."

"Take th' girl."

I gasped as two pirates harshly tied up my wrists and dragged me up, towards the captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge. I spat at them and squirmed in their grasps, but to my disappointment, received no avail.

"What do you want with me?! Errrgghhh! Let me go!"

"We mean no harm, poppet," one of the pirates said, flashing his gold teeth.

"Lair! You slimy cockroaches! Filthy _pirates_!" I yelled in rage as they dragged me along, ignoring my insults. At this point, I'd trade this for Jack's in a heartbeat.

 _What do you want me for, you foul squids?! You don't even know me! What use could I be to you, you bunch of sordid whores!_

Realization finally dawned me. They probably all heard what I said before, and now wants to use me to find the Lost Jar of Tayrona.

Barbossa must've noticed the look on my face because he said, "Aye, lass, _ye_ be th' key ta findin' th' jar." Then he smirked, "Also, ye be a nice bonus bit o' gold, girl. You see, people would pay a decent bit o' gold fer Jack Sparrow's _daughter_."


End file.
